LIFE CYCLE OF TREE: FLOWERING 7/12: Illustration

Dear friends,

It's the 4th week of July and from today onwards, Singapore will revert to Phase 2 of COVID19 restrictions; dining out is no more allowed and social gathering group size will be reduced from 5 to 2 pax. Only after a week of liberation and we are back to Phase 2 for a month. 

How are you coping, my friend, with this constant change? 

With the tightened restrictions kicking in, I began to spend more time reading on Libby, a reading app by National Library Board (NLB) Singapore. It has a great collection of books that you could find in a physical book store and it's absolutely FREE! At times, I will also visit the nearest library to grab some interesting titles and learn new things that might be of my interest. In times like these, it's probably a great time to pick up new skills and be prepared for future opportunities, even though the restrictions from this COVID pandemic might be like a long waiting game towards gaining back our freedom.  

Thanks to the wide selection of book titles in NLB, I managed to borrow this beautifully illustrated book that inspired me to colorfully pimp up my illustration skills in the near future. 

My goal to pick up the skill to illustrate is pretty straightforward: to obtain the ability to illustrate a meaningful piece of art through utter mundane that will inspire people to think deeper. I have listed a few illustrators who inspired me to show you what I mean. Here's the January till June recap on my illustration practice/ progress. 

1. Learning the basics: how to draw (many) circles and lines

2. Learning how to draw the different movements of a hand

More hand practices

3. Learning how to draw the lower body

Leg with movements

One of the things that keep me motivated is documenting every single progress to remind myself how much I've progressed. Here, I have 2 folders to track every illustration which is arranged chronologically by date. 

When I reflect on my progress, I always feel a sense of accomplishment from knowing how far I have improved and I would have regretted it if I never began this journey. 

My illustrator friend K once said to me: "Just imagine you are writing instead of drawing. Imagine when you draw the face a round shape, it is the same as writing a zero." 

It's all about breaking up something that you find too difficult or complicated into bite-size pieces. It takes regular practice to find your own (perfect) way to simplify a complicated object into a group of simple lines to call your own. 

Minimalism (the ability to simplify without losing its essence) plays an important role in gaining mastery in most things in life.

Here's the beautifully illustrated book that I mentioned above by Alain Gree who is one of my favorite children's book authors/illustrators. In this book, Alain shared his work through 6 different chapters of illustrations based on picture books, games, advertising, and many more including his rough sketches. It shows how we can expand our ideas through illustration.

Portrait of Alain Gree

Activity games with Alain Gree joyful illustration 

His rough sketches 

1964 Newspaper ads for Renault

Another advertising for confectionery in 1964. If you reside in Singapore, this book is available in NLB.

(Alain Gree ISBN978-4-7562-4748-3)

This is from my personal collection, 《I can fly》published in the '50s by Mary Blair, an American artist, animator, and designer for The Walt Disney Company. I like to collect children's books to learn how to illustrate in a way that even children would understand.

Look at the cute little girl and the animals around her. Illustrations like this really puts a smile on my face.

That's my illustration journey, for now, short and sweet. 

If you haven't but want to find out about my journey on other crafts you may click on the link below to find out my progress in the last 6 months.

Week 1: A journey to create a variety of eco-wrappings from daily life object

LIFE CYCLE OF TREE: FLOWERING 7/12: GIFT WRAPPING 

Week 2: A complete handbook for a beginner or for friends who want to learn natural dye and Ayurvastra

LIFE CYCLE OF TREE: FLOWERING 7/12: NATURAL DYE/ AYURVASTRA

Week 3: A full mending story with needlework on CC's dress

LIFE CYCLE OF TREE: FLOWERING 7/12: NEEDLEWORK & MENDING STORY: CC DRESS 

Week 4: A diary about practicing illustration skills from scratch 

LIFE CYCLE OF TREE: FLOWERING 7/12: ILLUSTRATION (current post)

Do you also document your crafting journey? Feel free to share with me in the comment section below, so that I and other readers can learn something from you too!

I'll see you in the first week of August. It's time for me to prepare a nice meal and catch some silly show in the later part of today.

Lastly, thank you for being here and a part of my flowering journey. 

Your flowering season is yet to come,

Waee Waee